Currency

Currency

With a very favourable exchange rate for most Western currencies South Africa is a very affordable destination.

The unit of currency in South Africa is the Rand and is issued in notes and cents. One hundred cents (c) = one Rand (R)

BANKING

Banking Hours are from 9am to 3:30pm weekdays and from 9am to 11am on Saturdays. These hours may vary for smaller branches. All banks are closed on public holidays. ATM’s (Automatic Bank Teller’s) are available which have a set daily limit for cash withdrawals. A 24-hour emergency telephone number is displayed at all ATM’s. Precautions should be taken when using the ATM’s. These include avoiding making cash withdrawals alone or after hours especially at deserted ATM’s, and do not accept unsolicited offers of assistance.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

All commercial banks will exchange traveller’s cheques and major foreign currencies. There are several banks in the town centre.

CREDIT CARDS

International Credit Cards are widely accepted by most businesses and are electronically validated. Credit cards accepted include American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa. In most instances informal traders do not accept credit cards and they cannot be used to purchase petrol or oil. A separate petrol card is issued by most banks.